First RNLAF Transport Flight in Support Of Operation Serval

The Royal Netherlands Air Force (RNLAF) has conducted its first transport flight in support of the French-led Operation Serval in Mali, the Dutch Ministry of Defense announced over the weekend. A KDC-10 took off from Eindhoven air base on 7 February to pick up supplies in France before delivering them to the French logistics hub in N’Djamena, Chad.

KDC-10 (Dutch Ministry of Defense photo)

France requested logistic support by Dutch aircraft through the European Air Transport Command (EATC) in Eindhoven. The cabinet of the Dutch government on 1 February agreed to allow flights to the Malian capital of Bamako if the security situation allows and the first such flight could be as soon as the end of this week.

Meanwhile, the Bundeswehr on 8 February announced that the Luftwaffe had so far conducted 48 C-160D flights transporting 337 personnel and 92 tons of materiel in support of the African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA).